Historian Answers Samurai Questions | Tech Support | WIRED

Samurai Support (0s)

• A historian named Oda Yatsusada is researching Japanese history and will answer questions about samurai today (0s).
• The historian will provide support for questions related to samurai (15s).
• The segment is titled 'Samurai Support' and is part of a larger section called 'Tech Support' (12s).

Samurai training (18s)

• Samurai training initially focused on mastering the bow, with emphasis on proper handling and technique (25s).
• In addition to archery, samurai also learned magic, specifically how to handle horses (28s).
• They also studied sword fighting, or kenjutsu, to defeat enemies when grouped together (35s).
• Jujutsu, a martial art for fighting without swords, was developed as a way to defeat opponents in situations where swords could not be used (41s).
• As time passed, other skills such as spear handling, or sōjutsu, became important for samurai to learn (51s).
• Due to the presence of water-filled moats surrounding Japanese castles, samurai also needed to learn how to fight in water, making swimming a necessary skill (1m12s).
• Overall, samurai training was comprehensive and covered various aspects of combat and martial arts (18s).

Becoming a samurai (1m19s)

• Samurai were originally considered to be attendants of people of higher social status, with the term "samurai" derived from the word "samurai," which means to serve a person of higher status (1m32s).
• Historically, the term "samurai" referred to people who served the nobility, but during the medieval period, it came to refer to people with abilities and talents, regardless of their original social status (1m48s).
• As time passed, the emphasis on bloodline and social status decreased, and people who were not originally samurai could become one if they had the necessary abilities (1m51s).
• In Japan, the decline of war led to a decrease in opportunities for samurai to advance, resulting in some samurai falling into decline and selling their status (2m7s).
• People who were not originally samurai could buy the status and become samurai, but traditionally, samurai were people who inherited the bloodline of the nobility (2m31s).
• The traditional definition of a samurai is someone who inherits the bloodline of the nobility, but over time, the definition expanded to include people with abilities and talents (2m39s).

Are there still samurai? (2m48s)

• The samurai class disappeared in Japan's modern era (2m50s).
• Samurai were recognizable by their appearance, with two distinct features: the chonmage hairstyle, which involved shaving the top of the head and gathering the remaining hair into a queue, and the wearing of a sword (2m57s).
• The combination of the chonmage hairstyle and the sword made it easy to identify someone as a samurai, even from a distance (3m10s).
• In 1871, the new government issued a law called "Haitō Rei," which prohibited the wearing of swords and the chonmage hairstyle, effectively abolishing the samurai class (3m15s).
• As a result of this law, the samurai class system completely collapsed, and samurai no longer exist in modern Japanese society (3m29s).

Samurai Weaponry (3m42s)

• Prior to the medieval period, samurai primarily used bows and arrows in battle, often while mounted on horses, and wore armor designed to protect their legs while riding (4m2s).
• The armor worn by samurai during this time had large sleeves, which were designed to allow them to quickly move their arms out of the way if they were shot by an arrow, as they did not use shields (4m25s).
• Samurai also used large sleeves on their armor to facilitate quick movement of their arms when using a bow, as they needed to be able to hold the bow in one hand and an arrow in the other (4m32s).
• In ancient times, samurai did not primarily use swords, instead using them mainly to finish off opponents after they had been knocked off their horses (5m1s).
• During the Sengoku period, the use of bows and guns became more prevalent among foot soldiers, known as ashigaru, while samurai began to use spears more frequently (5m14s).
• Samurai typically used spears that were around 2 meters long, which allowed them to keep a safe distance from their opponents, and would switch to using swords when the distance between them and their opponents closed (5m29s).
• By the Edo period, Japan was no longer at war, and as a result, the use of swords in battle became less common, with swords mainly being used for duels or assassinations (5m51s).

Samurai drip (6m9s)

• Samurai armor was designed to be visually striking, often featuring bright colors and gold accents, as seen in the example of a red and gold armor, which served the purpose of making the wearer stand out (6m17s).
• The use of bright colors and bold designs was the opposite of modern camouflage, and instead, was meant to draw attention to the wearer, making it easier for others to identify them on the battlefield (6m29s).
• The armor's design and colors were used to identify the wearer's status, rank, and accomplishments, with different colors and patterns signifying different things (6m40s).
• The armor's colors could be changed by using different colored threads or dyes, made from materials such as silk or plant-based dyes, which were used to create intricate designs and patterns (6m48s).
• The use of color and design to identify the wearer was particularly important for samurai, as it was a way to prove their bravery and accomplishments, even in death (8m40s).
• Samurai would often wear distinctive helmets, known as "kabuto," which were designed to be unique and individual, allowing others to identify the wearer on the battlefield (8m1s).
• The kabuto was often decorated with distinctive crests or designs, which were used to identify the wearer's family, clan, or rank (7m56s).
• The use of distinctive armor and helmets was also driven by the need for samurai to prove their bravery and accomplishments in battle, as this was seen as a key factor in determining their social status and reputation (8m37s).
• Samurai would often wear bold and eye-catching armor and helmets to draw attention to themselves on the battlefield, as this was seen as a way to demonstrate their bravery and martial prowess (9m17s).
• The example of a samurai, Black田長え, is given, who wore a distinctive helmet and armor, which was designed to make him stand out on the battlefield (7m53s).

Samurai: Origins (9m25s)

• The samurai class emerged in Japan as the country's national army weakened, and high-ranking nobles needed protection for their lands and properties, relying on samurai for this purpose (9m25s).
• This development occurred during the mid-Heian period in Japan, roughly corresponding to the 900s in the Western calendar (9m50s).
• At the time, high-ranking nobles held significant power in the central government, while lower-ranking nobles, known as "kizoku," moved to the countryside due to a lack of opportunities in the capital (9m58s).
• These lower-ranking nobles settled in the countryside and rose through the ranks as leaders of local warrior groups, accumulating military power and serving high-ranking nobles (10m11s).
• Initially, samurai were members of the lower-ranking nobility, or "kizoku," but as they gained military power, they eventually overthrew the high-ranking nobles and took control of the government (10m17s).
• This shift in power marked the beginning of the Kamakura period in Japan, during which samurai held significant political power and influence (10m27s).

Yasuke (10m44s)

• Yasuke is a historical figure about whom little is known from contemporary records, and many Japanese people may not be familiar with him (10m46s).
• Yasuke is believed to have served under Oda Nobunaga, a 16th-century Japanese daimyō who attempted to unify Japan, and was considered one of the most powerful samurai at the time (11m10s).
• Yasuke was a member of the guard of Alessandro Valignano, an Italian Jesuit missionary, and is thought to have originated from Mozambique (11m38s).
• Yasuke was seen by Oda Nobunaga's vassal, Akechi Mitsuhide, and it is believed that he may have escaped during the confusion following Mitsuhide's betrayal and Nobunaga's death (11m58s).
• There is limited information available about Yasuke's life after this event, and his treatment as a vassal is unclear, leading to questions about his status and whether he was truly a samurai (12m11s).
• There is no definitive evidence to confirm Yasuke's status as a samurai, and his position within the social hierarchy remains unclear (12m26s).

Samurai warfare (12m35s)

• In ancient times, samurai warfare initially involved fighting on horseback with bows, known as "kyuba no michi" or the "way of the bow and horse," where samurai would shoot arrows from horseback and then engage in close combat if necessary, using techniques such as jujutsu or drawing their swords to defeat their opponents (12m37s).
• Samurai would first attempt to defeat their opponents by shooting arrows at them from horseback, and if that failed, they would engage in a collision of horses, followed by hand-to-hand combat to knock the opponent off their horse (12m51s).
• As the samurai period transitioned into the medieval period, large numbers of foot soldiers, known as "ashigaru," were mobilized, and these foot soldiers, who were often recruited from the lower classes of farmers, made up the majority of the forces on the battlefield (13m11s).
• The ashigaru were equipped with bows, firearms, and other weapons, and were used to weaken the enemy lines, after which the samurai would charge in on horseback to exploit the weaknesses and break through the enemy's defenses (13m32s).

Samurai tats (13m48s)

• In Japan, tattoos were not widely accepted during the time of the samurai, and having a tattoo was associated with being a criminal, with those who committed crimes such as theft being given tattoos as a form of punishment (13m48s).
• The tattoos were often given to the hands, and repeat offenders would receive multiple tattoos, with three tattoos being a common threshold for severe punishment, including execution (14m10s).
• As a result, tattoos were not commonly accepted or widely practiced, and were generally associated with criminal activity, making it unlikely that many samurai would have had tattoos (14m24s).
• While it is possible that some samurai may have had tattoos, it is not a common or likely scenario, and is not consistent with the typical image of a samurai (14m32s).

The samurai lifestyle (14m42s)

• Samurai typically earned their income in units of "koku," which was a measure of rice, with one koku being equivalent to about 150kg, enough for one person to live on for a year (15m20s).
• The value of one koku in modern currency is difficult to determine, but it is estimated to be around 30 million yen, meaning a typical samurai's annual income would be in the millions (15m35s).
• Samurai had different ranks, with the highest being the shogun, followed by daimyos, who were high-ranking samurai that served directly under the shogun and controlled over 10,000 koku, equivalent to around 30 billion yen (16m0s).
• However, this amount was not solely for personal use, as daimyos were also responsible for supporting their vassals, so the actual amount they had at their disposal was likely much lower (16m11s).
• The shogun's income was significantly higher, estimated to be in the trillions of yen, with a total of around 8 million koku (16m30s).
• The higher the rank, the more koku one controlled, but this also meant they had to support more people, increasing their expenses (16m40s).

Plain white rice (16m49s)

• In Japan, people traditionally ate plain white rice as part of their meals, but it is unlikely that they considered this meal to be bland (16m54s).
• A typical Japanese meal consisted of one soup and one side dish, in addition to rice, with miso soup and one other dish being common (17m6s).
• The rice eaten during this time period was not always white rice, as it is today, but rather brown rice or a mixture of grains, including barley and millet, due to the high cost of white rice (17m23s).
• White rice was a luxury item, made from the center of brown rice, and was considered a special treat, even among the general population (17m30s).
• Samurai of lower ranks and common people often ate brown rice or a mixture of grains, as they could not afford white rice (17m39s).
• For those of lower social status, even brown rice was not always available, and they had to mix it with other grains, such as barley and millet, to make it more filling (17m43s).
• As a result, plain white rice was considered a rare and special treat, and was likely appreciated as a luxury item (17m56s).

Samurai code of honor (18m8s)

• The samurai code of honor, also known as Bushido, was not necessarily followed by all samurai in their daily lives, but rather served as a moral guideline for them to strive for (18m8s).
• Bushido was written by Nitobe Inazo, a samurai descendant, during a time when samurai no longer existed, making it an idealized concept (18m40s).
• The seven virtues of Bushido are: gi (righteousness), the moral path that is considered right for a person to follow (19m1s); yuuki (courage), the bravery to act on what one believes is right (19m9s); jin (benevolence), the ability to show compassion and empathy (19m18s); rei (etiquette), the respect for one's social position and the use of honorific language towards those of higher status (19m28s); makoto (sincerity), the importance of honesty and not telling lies (19m41s); meiyo (honor), the need to protect one's own honor (19m55s); and chūgi (loyalty), the loyalty and devotion to one's lord or master (19m58s).

Bushido (20m8s)

• From a historical perspective, it can be said that the samurai class declined due to the seven characteristics of Bushido, but this is not necessarily true, as the primary concern of the samurai was their honor (20m8s).
• The concept of honor in Bushido led to the idea that samurai should not engage in shameful or dishonorable behavior, such as assassination or covert actions, and instead should fight openly and directly against their enemies (20m12s).
• As a result, samurai generally avoided engaging in overtly base or cowardly actions, but this does not mean that they did not use underhanded tactics at all (20m41s).
• In reality, samurai often delegated tasks that were considered "dirty work" to lower-ranking soldiers, such as ashigaru, or to ninja, who were also known as "ninja" or "rapasuppa" at the time (20m52s).
• While samurai themselves generally fought openly and directly, they would sometimes order their subordinates to use more covert or underhanded tactics (21m13s).
• Therefore, it is not entirely accurate to say that the samurai class declined due to their adherence to the seven characteristics of Bushido (21m21s).
• The question of whether female samurai existed is a separate topic (21m29s).

Women samurai? (21m31s)

• Women did participate in battles with weapons, but they were not considered samurai in the classical sense of the word, as the term 'samurai' referred to a specific social status (21m33s).
• There were female sword fighters, and records exist of women who fought in battles, such as a wife who saved her husband during the Battle of Sekigahara (21m56s).
• Historical records show that women did engage in combat, and there are accounts of women using armor, with some examples of female armor still existing today (22m20s).
• Although women samurai were not common, it is possible that some women possessed the spirit of a samurai, even if they were not considered samurai in the classical sense (22m39s).
• The concept of female samurai was not widely acknowledged or understood, and it was not a common part of the general understanding of samurai (22m30s).

Samurai free time (22m47s)

• During medieval times in Japan, samurai enjoyed various leisure activities, including farming and reading classical Japanese poetry, known as "waka," which was often recited in groups, a practice called "renga" (22m49s).
• The Japanese people had a long history of appreciating waka poetry, which was typically composed of 5-7-5-7-7 syllables, and this was a popular pastime among samurai (22m57s).
• Other popular leisure activities among samurai included playing board games like Igo (also known as Go) and Shogi, as well as enjoying tea ceremonies, which are still popular in Japan today (23m15s).
• Tea ceremonies were also referred to as "Chanoyu" or "Sado," and another term used to describe this activity was "Ocha" (23m22s).
• Samurai also enjoyed other leisure activities, such as "Renga" (a form of collaborative poetry) and "Ikebana" (the art of flower arrangement), which were considered enjoyable ways to spend free time (23m29s).

The best places in Japan to experience Samurai culture (23m37s)

• The best places in Japan to experience samurai culture include castles such as Himeji Castle, Matsumoto Castle, Hikone Castle, Inuyama Castle, and Matsue Castle, which have been well-preserved and showcase the history of the samurai era (23m37s).
• These castles have surrounding castle towns where samurai used to live, and some of the samurai residences have been preserved and still exist today (24m10s).
• Himeji Castle, in particular, is famous for its well-preserved castle town, but it is often misunderstood that only the current remaining part of the castle is the original size, when in fact, the original castle was several times larger (24m19s).
• The original Himeji Castle had a larger castle town with many samurai residences, but only a small part of it remains today, with the rest being lost to time (24m29s).
• In the castle towns, high-ranking samurai would build their residences near the castle, while lower-ranking samurai would live in the surrounding areas, and some of these residences have been preserved and can still be seen today (24m43s).

Samurai ceremonies (24m51s)

• Samurai ceremonies involved a process where individuals would submit their names to their desired lord, signifying their intention to serve and potentially sacrifice everything, including their lives, for their lord (25m11s).
• In ancient Japan, people believed that words, including names, possessed spiritual significance and a soul, making the act of sharing one's name a sacred and vulnerable experience (25m32s).
• The submission of one's name was seen as a demonstration of one's willingness to dedicate themselves entirely to their lord, and if accepted, they would be recognized as a vassal (25m56s).
• This ceremony was crucial, as without the lord's recognition, an individual could not become a samurai (25m9s).
• The act of sharing one's name was also rooted in the fear that if one's name became known to others, it could be used for malicious purposes, including being killed (25m40s).

Gun-weilding Samurai on horseback (26m5s)

• Samurai developed techniques for using firearms, known as "teppou" in Japanese, while on horseback, with shorter-barreled guns being used for this purpose (26m6s).
• These shorter-barreled guns were used by samurai in combat, but their effectiveness is questionable due to the long reload time of about 30 seconds between shots (26m28s).
• The reload time of 30 seconds made it difficult for samurai to use these guns effectively while on horseback, casting doubt on their practicality in battle (26m40s).
• As a result, it is unlikely that samurai commonly used firearms while on horseback, despite the development of techniques for doing so (26m56s).

Ronin (27m4s)

• Ronin were masterless samurai, but the term did not exclusively refer to samurai, as it could also apply to other warriors who did not have a master (27m15s).
• There were various reasons why someone became a ronin, including leaving their master voluntarily, being dismissed or exiled by their master, or losing their master due to defeat in war (27m31s).
• Despite their masterless status, ronin retained their warrior social status, and not all of them were bad people (27m56s).
• Many ronin struggled financially since they did not receive a stipend from a master, and some had to take on temporary work or other jobs to survive (28m5s).
• While many ronin lived decent lives, some turned to crime, such as robbery, extortion, or intimidation, and others lived idle and drunken lives (28m26s).
• Some ronin likely worked as hitmen or assassins, taking on jobs for money, and there were also people known as "koshiya" who may have been involved in such activities (28m48s).

Samurai nostalgia (28m59s)

• Despite being abolished as a class and having their rights taken away about a century earlier, the values and laws of the samurai were still clung to, particularly during the time of the modern Japanese Empire, which was a newly formed country even in the modern era, up until the end of the Edo period in Japan's history (29m0s).
• During the Edo period, only samurai went to war, and they were responsible for all fighting, but with the advent of modern times, the samurai class disappeared, and all Japanese males were required to serve in the military (29m18s).
• At this time, the samurai had a strong sense of loyalty to their masters, but this was not relevant to the common people, who did not have the same sense of loyalty and were not willing to risk their lives in battle (29m38s).
• However, when non-samurai people joined the military, there was an effort to instill a similar sense of loyalty and duty in them, modeled after the samurai's loyalty to their masters, with the goal of having them demonstrate loyalty to the country, as part of a concept called "bushido" or "way of the warrior" (30m2s).
• This was done in an attempt to create a new sense of duty and loyalty among the newly conscripted soldiers of the Japanese Empire, similar to the loyalty that samurai had once shown to their masters (30m10s).

Impact of Samurai (30m26s)

• The samurai class disappeared in the modern era, but former samurai went on to become politicians, educators, military personnel, and police officers, taking on key roles in the country's central government (30m35s).
• Samurai were well-versed in both martial and literary arts, which made them suitable for various roles in modern Japan (30m52s).
• In Japanese culture, the concept of honor was highly valued among samurai, who would rather die than bring shame to themselves, and this mindset may still be present in Japan today (31m23s).
• The cultural practices and traditions of the samurai, such as the Japanese tea ceremony and ikebana (the art of flower arrangement), have been passed down to modern-day Japanese people and are recognized as established art forms (31m48s).
• The cultural heritage and philosophical systems of the samurai continue to influence Japan and its people, potentially shaping their behavioral norms and values (32m11s).